Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-13
ALWAYS ON THE GO.
why Trainmen stick to N Hard
and Very Dangerous Life.

oul anu Dtidh6O PCODlC
But for that existence would be q
burden, and you could not get mar
to run on the road at all, for the pay
is not great and the danger is not a
little"
He was a trainman on one of the
many roads that run out of Buffalo
and had just finished his supper and
was quietly enjoying cigar. The
girl next door was trying to strike up
Irritation with him, but in vain. NoI
did she show poor taste. He was
young, tall, fair-looking, with an ath-
letic frame and pair of honest, fear
less blue eyes that compelled respect
from men and won the hearts OF
women. He was in talkative mood
and went on, pausing now and then
to keep his cigar going.
II don't know why it is, but am
never contented except when am on
the move. l may be dull and de-
pressed when downtown, but the
moment the conductor calls out "all
aboard !" and the engine pulls out, l
forget everything except the hustle,
rumble, roar, and the swaying Of the
train. The rapid motion hes an ex-
hilarating effect, and as the trees and
fields whiz by my blood begins to
tingle.
"Then a man makes friends at ev-
cry stopping place, and there is al
ways some one to say 'good-day' and
goodbye at every station. You are
always on the go, and there are always
old friends and new faces at every
turn. l like the life, and it is the ex-
element in it that keeps so many men
tied down to it. You must not think
we could not do better. Why, 1 have
quit two or three times and did well,
too, but l could not stand it, so l re-
turned to the life again. Promotion
is slow but sure, and each of us knows
that a conductors punch will surely
come in time if we do our duty. 1t is
all very we'll to talk of soulless cor
porations, but a railroad appreciates
an honest employe just as much, if
not more than bank president does
an efficient clerk.
81 don't know why it is" he went
on, after few vigorous puffs, "but
the brakeman-or trainman as he
is now cal.ed-is a greater masher
than the conductor. The shy country
lass, the coy village maid, and the
aristocratic city lady all take to us.
One reason is, we are more obliging.
We have few of the cares that annoy
the conductor; people are not trying
to beat us, and we have no spoilers
watching us. l suppose it is neces-
sary to put spies on the conductors, but
l think as class they are honest. Now
and then one yields to pitiful tale,
but he is too good Judge of human
nature to be deceived often. l often
think that if the officials had to be
tried and tempted as the conductors
are they would make as many mis-
takes of the head and heart. l will
give you one pointer-if you wish to
get a ride make your talk to the con-
ductor before you board the train. He
will do Just as much for you then as
he will when you strike him on board.
A man who is honest never gets
aboard and tries to beat his way. and
no one knows this better than the
conductor.
"No, we seldom get tips" he con-
tinued, "and great many Of us never
take them. OF course, we can pick
up many cigars, but they are more in
the line of sociability than anything
else. We have so many friends along
the road that they are always doing
something of the kind. l know one
day returned book to an old gentle
man who had left it in his seat as he
changed cars here. He offered me
dollar, which l refused. He then
thanked me very gracefully, with
marked English accent. l found out
afterward he was Herbert Spencer.
was glad then l refused the tip
81 can give you another instance"
he said, after another struggle with
his cigar, "and that happened be-
tween here and Syracuse. We pulled
out one night, and as | walked
through the car l saw young girl
with pinched face, dark, sad eyes and
a hacking cough. saw that she was
a consumptive, and made up my
mind that she was hurrying home to
die. I was all sympathy at once, and
made up my mind that would keep
track of her and see that her journey
was as pleasant as possible. We
whirled along, and as l went by her |
saw that she was suffering. | prof
fered my services, and she said she
wanted cup OF water. l got it and
then fixed the seats and made her
bed. | gave her all the help could
and she finally told me her story.
She said she had been student at the
Normal School at Albany, but she
had broken down during the course Of
study. Now had cousin there and
1 told her SO, and she knew her. She
became more confidential and told me
she was going home to die, and that
the doctors had told her she could not
live six months. When we parted 1
turned her over to the conductor on
the next run, who had at one time
been a trainman with me. l never
saw her again.
at was a good six months after
ward" he said, as he lighted his
cigar, which had gone out, "when |
heard that there was reward offered
to the trainman who had been kind to
a sick lady on his train. thought of
NV adventure, but I made up my
mind that was not the lucky man.
Now, all the boys had sick passenger
but none got the reward. One day in
Syracuse man came up and began to
talk with me about my sick
passenger, and wanted a descrip-
tion. / am good hand in remem-
herring names and faces, and told
him about her pinched face and her
ewes and her cough, as | have told
YOU. He told me was the man he
was looking for, but wanted me to tell
how she was dressed, and I did not
miss that. Then he informed me
that she had requested on her DEATH
bed that l should be well rewarded
for my kindness. He told me that she
had a little money, but that her
mother was in rather poor circum-
stances. am not very saving any
way, but l have enough for my ordi-